Kajiado withholds approved development applications

The county government of Kajiado has withheld all un-dispatched development applications in a move aimed at controlling unplanned developments within its urban and rural areas.

The decision follows the signing of a Memorandum of Engagement between the Kajiado County Alliance of Residents Associations (K-CARA) and the County Government to help in collaboration between the two institutions.

Following the agreement, all applications for development approvals will have to secure a No Objection Letter from Residents’ Associations through their Municipality Alliances of resident association, before being processed by the County Government.

Speaking shortly after the signing ceremony at the County government offices in Kajiado town, CECM for Lands, Physical Planning, Housing, Urban Development Hamilton Parseina said the agreement was timely and is a game changer to the residents of Kajiado.

''This particular agreement is a game-changer to our residents we are embedding structured citizen participation into governance to ensure that development aligns with community needs, environmental sustainability, and legal frameworks and therefore from today henceforth no project will proceed without the endorsement of residents, ensuring accountability from the ground,'' said Parseina.

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''Additionally, all submitted but not yet approved applications must be returned to obtain a No Objection Letter (NOL) from the relevant local Residents Association through its designated organs'' he added.

Parseina said this transformative policy aims to curb unplanned developments, enforce zoning regulations, approval county and national governments terms and conditions and promote sustainable spatial planning, thereby reinforcing Kajiado’s commitment to the County Spatial Plan (CSP) and the vision of livable, well-organized cities.

He said the MoE also empowers residents to monitor land use, enforce compliance, and actively participate in policy formulation.

''Additionally, it establishes a multi-agency enforcement framework, bringing together key regulatory bodies, including the National Land Commission (NLC), the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), and the National Government Administrative Office (NGAO), to ensure strict adherence to planning regulations said the county land CECM.

Anne Wafula, Secretary of Admin and Strategy Kajiado County Alliance of Residents Associations(K-CARA) said this resident engagement model sets a national precedent, positioning Kajiado County as a leader in resident-driven urban planning, investment mobilization, and environmental conservation.

''This move sets a historic precedent in development control, making Kajiado the first county to mandate No Objection Letters (NOLs) before approvals. The process starts at the residents’ level, ensuring developments align with community interests and planning regulations,” said Wafula,

Development experts have hailed it as Kenya’s most structured approach to public participation in governance, aligning with the Physical and Land Use Planning Act (2019), County Governments Act (2012), and the Urban Areas and Cities Act (2011).

As Kajiado prepares to implement this framework, developers, investors, and residents must now engage directly with community representatives before undertaking any construction projects. The message is clear: Kajiado’s development will be citizen-driven, sustainable, and legally compliant.

With the MoE officially in place, the County Government has urged all stakeholders to familiarize themselves with the new requirements, signalling the dawn of a governance model that prioritizes livable cities, rural sustainability, and the voices of the people.